Soon, bamboo unit to fetch income for SPPU students

Pranita Roy

Friday, 11 May 2018

The three universities selected include Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Sant Gadgebaba Amravati University and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri. These units will help generate a source of income for students at the university, said Mungantiwar. He said the universities should become employment generating centres.

Pune: Soon, state universities will be generating employment. As the Centre has alloted Rs 1,290 crore for Bamboo Mission, a bamboo handicraft and art unit (BHAU) will be set up at the varsity by August. This was announced by State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar in the Assembly on Wednesday.

The three universities selected include Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Sant Gadgebaba Amravati University and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri. These units will help generate a source of income for students at the university, said Mungantiwar.

He said the universities should become employment generating centres. “After starting BHAU, varsities should enable self-employment for students under government’s financial assistance scheme for students who undertake training at these centre,” said Mugantiwar.

“The universities should develop a bamboo dictionary having information about its types, significance and application of bamboo. This information can be received from bamboo board, organisation or training centres. This will work as a guidance book for students,” he added.

The State has directed the bamboo organisations and training centres to visit these three universities and help them in formulating syllabus and information related to development of infrastructure before May 20.

Mungantiwar said there are incentive schemes for bamboo cultivation by various state government departments. Also, there are several government resolutions issued against bamboo cultivation. Therefore, to simplify these for the public, government should pass a single resolution, he suggested.

The State government said that to start BHAU at these universities an expenditure of Rs 35 lakh will be required. The amount will be provided through district planning committee. Universities should send their proposals to the collector’s office in July.

SPPU upbeat above move
SPPU Vice-Chancellor Nitin Karmalkar was present at the announcement in Mumbai. An official from SPPU said the university feels privileged to be selected to start BHAU. This will be more beneficial for those from rural and tribal areas. So far colleges and institutes under SPPU at Pune, Nashik and Ahmednagar are participating in making artefacts and decorative materials, now it will be taken to a grander stage. The university will soon decide upon structuring the training and enrollment procedures.